


Thug Muffin and Pumpkin Pie

by literaryempress



Series: My Ask Box Corner [10]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boyfriends, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Morning Kisses, Mornings, Nicknames, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pet Names, Season/Series 04, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 02:05:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7825993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryempress/pseuds/literaryempress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Original prompt: <em>Gallavich prompt: Mickey calling Ian pet names, especially 'honey' and 'babe'.</em></p><p>Canon up to 4x11. Ian and Mickey are alone in their apartment on the North Side of Chicago, and they finally have the freedom to try out something new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thug Muffin and Pumpkin Pie

It was unnecessarily cold for a February morning, but Ian and Mickey suppose that’s what they get for living this close to Lake Michigan.

They were fine, though. They had their limbs tangled together in the bed in their brand new home, and nothing else mattered.

Ian and Mickey relocated to the North Side of Chicago about a month ago. Terry had previously been arrested by the cops after the bar fight he initiated with his son after finding out about his sexuality. Both Ian and Mickey thought it was for the best to consider finding a new place to live, being that Terry’s sentence only lasted for five years, and Mickey couldn’t stomach the idea of counting down the days until his old man returned.

That’s how the couple ended up moving, and although the process of actually acquiring as much money as they needed to afford a new place was rather tedious, they were able to accomplish the task within less time than either one of them expected.

This morning, Mickey was the first to wake up between the two of them, which gave him the opportunity to gaze upon this wonderful redhead laying down behind him. His eyes were closed as he remained in his peaceful slumber, and Mickey wouldn’t be surprised if he mistook the man for a painting in a Chicago art museum. That’s how mesmerizing the man was to him.

And yes, Mickey did have these free-flowing feelings running through his veins right now. Of course, he was out of his father’s home. Granted, he wasn’t as far away from the Milkovich house as he wanted to be, but at least he didn’t have to worry about Terry hunting the busy Chicago streets just to find him. He made sure Mandy was reminded to not tell Terry his whereabouts in the event he got released earlier than he was scheduled to. Mandy even reminded their brothers that in the event that one of them just so happened to let the idea slip their minds. Mickey trusted Mandy enough to keep their whereabouts a secret, and Mandy planned on making it her mission to keep her brother and her best friend safe. They were the two people in her life who mattered the most.

Mickey trained his eyes on Ian’s short, red hair. The light coming from the windows in their bedroom illuminated the younger man’s long locks, making them almost sparkle in the morning sun. Mickey couldn’t honestly believe he was cooped up with the most attractive guy from the South Side of Chicago. He might as well be dreaming.

He slowly lowered his lips onto Ian’s cheek, giving the younger man the softest kiss ever imaginable, and such a light yet powerful touch was all Ian needed to finally pierce open his eyes. All he could see was Mickey facing him – blue eyes directed at green – and the annoyance Ian was feeling towards the sun for a second or two went away as he gazed upon his boyfriend in front of him. He couldn’t help but smile in response because Mickey was being incredibly adorable for no reason this morning.

Not that Ian was complaining nor would he actually tell him that.

“Mornin’ Mick,” the redhead croaked, stretching his body a little bit to release some of the kinks that had been stuck in his body since he had been resting in the same position for about nine hours or so.

Mickey watched Ian stretch a little bit before he leaned back over to his face, whispering into his ear before placing another kiss onto Ian’s cheek. “Mornin’, babe.”

 _Babe_. That was a new one. Mickey was never fond of using pet names before, so it confused Ian a little bit as to why he was using them now.

“I must have leveled up on Mario for that one, huh?”

And in that moment, the moment was screwed. “Fuck off,” Mickey replied, although his response didn’t have much bite, according to the redhead.

Ian chuckled for a second, and then he sat up a bit from where he was laying so he and Mickey were both at eye level. “But, uh…” Ian started with a smile growing in his face, “babe, huh?”

Mickey shrugged. “Well, what the fuck else do you want me to call you, the Leaning Tower of Penis?” At the sudden outburst of laughter from his boyfriend, Mickey started to chuckle at his own joke. He’s heard from a few relatives once or twice before that he could be a comedian.

“No, I –“ Ian started but stopped just to glance over at his boyfriend just for a second. “I like it. I like babe, okay?” Mickey nodded. “It just…came to me by surprise, is all.”

Mickey nodded in agreement. In fact, it came as a surprise to himself as well, considering that he seemed to be coming more and more out of his shell than he used to. Most of it might have to do with leaving the South Side behind and getting far away from Terry as possible. Calling Ian _babe_ while Terry practically breathed down his neck left a sour taste in the younger Milkovich’s mouth to the point where Mickey caught himself hating himself for even suggesting those types of nicknames around the redhead.

That’s why Mickey was so glad he left everything behind, back there in that raggedy old Milkovich house. Ian had been a part of his life before then, sure, but now they were here to create a new life for themselves. They were both officially out of the closet and in a loving relationship with each other. Trying new things like giving each other pet names, while awfully new to both of them, made the next chapter of their lives feel very fresh.

They stared into each other’s eyes before Ian grinned. “Does this mean I get to give you a pet name, too?”

“Nothing too fucking ridiculous, though, alright?” Mickey reminded him. “If I have to hear you call me Sweetie Pie Muffin Face or some shit, I’m punching you in the fucking throat.” Ian giggled in response, because why wouldn’t this dork find some kind of humor in his grumpy boyfriend?

“No, Mick. I wouldn’t go that far.”

Mickey scoffed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.”

The two were silent for the next few minutes. Neither of them had to do anything today, so there wasn’t much need to get up and get dressed for anything, unless one of them had to pee or get something to eat. Ian leaned against Mickey’s shoulder as he played with his tattooed fingers a bit. Mickey wasn’t into it too much, but he allowed his fingers to lightly dance along with Ian’s, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t feel something in his stomach when the sparks gathered at their fingertips.

Ian was the first one to break the silence between the two of them. “I was kind of thinking of _thug muffin_.”

Mickey furrowed his eyebrows at Ian’s sudden statement. “The fuck?”

Ian glanced up at him and shrugged. “My pet name for you. Thug muffin.”

“No fucking way.”

“Mick –“

Mickey’s eyebrows shot up on his forehead at the sight of Ian’s puppy dog face. He could give a shit less what his boyfriend’s face looked like; the _thug muffin_ suggestion will not be approved. “Don’t do that, Gallagher. Don’t fucking look at me like you’re somebody’s lost child, trying to call me _thug muffin_ and shit.”

“You said not to take it too far.”

“I’m aware of what I said,” Mickey replied, “and that right there? That’s taking it too far.”

Ian’s shoulders slumped a bit, and his head rolled back to the pillow underneath him. “I let you call me _babe_.”

“Because I kept it simple.”

“It was more than simple, to me. It meant something more than that.”

Mickey frowned again, turning his head towards Ian. “The fuck are you getting on, Gallagher?”

Ian turned his head back around so he was meeting Mickey’s bright yet bewildered eyes. “You know what I mean,” he answered, shifting his body a bit so he could fully see his boyfriend next to him. “We’re finally alone in our own place, Mick. It’s not the Gallagher house, or the Milkovich house – or my place, or your place. It’s _ours_. We can do whatever we want here.”

Even Mickey knew he had a point. It’s like Mickey told Ian back at the Alibi Room: “Who gives a shit about anybody else?” The couple were absorbed in their own little bubble as long as their relationship stayed like this, and no one outside of that bubble seemed to matter.

What Ian and Mickey have between each other had some kind of meaning, as much as one of them – usually Mickey – liked to verbally dismiss it. Those days back at the baseball field meant a lot to Mickey, but he never really told Ian. Those were the days Mickey realized he had a best friend. He got good fucks in from a lot of people before Ian – some of them, he didn’t particularly enjoy – but he never had the opportunity to build some sort of relationship with them.

Ian was the first guy Mickey got to call his best friend, and it was the first time Mickey actually felt… _free_.

 _Ian, what you and I have makes me free_. Mickey remembered saying that to Ian, and to this day, he is still true to his word. There will never be a day in Mickey’s life where he doesn’t have the ability to do what he wants with Ian – and as freely as he wants.

The shorter man must have been in his own little world for too long, because the moment he felt Ian’s hand on his chin, sparks flew throughout his body. “We don’t have to use these new pet names publicly or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about. They’re just for us, because it’s like you said, who gives a shit about anybody else?”

It amazed Mickey how the redhead had the strong ability to read his mind.

With one final shrug, Mickey slowly glanced up at his boyfriend and nodded. “Fine then… _babe_.” Ian chuckled, and Mickey blushed at him in response. “What would like me to call you then?”

Ian smirked. “Give it your best shot.”

“Fucking fine then… _pumpkin pie_.” Mickey couldn’t hold back his smile when Ian busted out into a fit of laughter. Now that Ian had the luxury to verbally call him thug muffin, Mickey figures, _how far can I go with pumpkin pie?_ “So is that a yes or a no?”

“Oh, my God,” Ian replied, trying to catch his breath. “Mick, what the fuck? Oh, my God.” Mickey pressed his lips tighter together, preventing himself from hysterically laughing at Ian’s red face, but it got harder and harder as the moments passed.

“I’m just saying,” Mickey added, “you got to call me _thug muffin_ , remember?”

“I know, and pumpkin pie definitely makes a lot of sense,” Ian noted. He never got a chance to finish his statement before curling up in front of his boyfriend, letting out more giggles. Mickey couldn’t help himself at that point, for he started letting out some laughs of his own.

Once the laughter between the two died down, Mickey looked up at Ian with a neutral tone, poking a finger into Ian’s chest. “Ay, ay,” he spoke, grabbing Ian’s attention. “Remember, Ian: we’re only using these at home, though, right? I don’t wanna see you using that shit all over Facebook or something like some chipper school girl.”

Ian nodded with a smile. “Got it.”

Mickey inched both of his eyebrows up on his forehead. “Is that a promise, _honey_ , or do I have to revoke your rights?”

With one hand held up, Ian said, “promise,” as if he was to swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth in a court of law.

Mickey nodded, blue eyes gazing into green ones as he reached a hand up to Ian’s face, bringing the younger man closer to him as they both shared a loving morning kiss. “I love you, shit head.”

Ian smiled into their kiss as he responded with, “I love you, too, asshole.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just moved back in for college this past Wednesday, and school starts on Monday. However, I need to maintain all A's this semester to stay in my school's Honors College, so I'm not sure how often I'll be updating, but I hope I won't leave you guys hanging for too long (which is part of the reason why this story was shorter than intended). I'm also typing two stories for the Big Bang (one of them is almost at 7k, while the other is still around 3k), so technically, I'm still writing fics for y'all, but the actual publishing of fics has been awfully slow on my end. Hopefully that'll change, but who knows?
> 
> Leave comments and kudos, because both are appreciated. And I hope everyone has a good day/night. Happy reading. <3


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